Hal Brooks Moses

US Patent:

50547135, Oct 8, 1991

Filed:

Apr 3, 1989

Appl. No.:

7/332489

Inventors:

Lawrence W. Langley - Christiansburg VA
Hal L. Moses - Newport VA

International Classification:

B64C 2904
B64C 2902
B64C 2900

US Classification:

244 122

Abstract:

The invention is a circular airplane with an oblately spheroidal body which derives lift from a wall or ribbon jet exhausting over its upper surface. The jet is produced by a mixed flow fan driven by an internal combustion or gas turbine engine within the body. A fixed guide van assembly removes the swirl from the outlet flow of the mixed flow fan. The jet exiting from the fixed guide vane assembly follows the curved surface of the body, exhausting downward, and produces lift. The magnitude of lift produced in each quadrant of the airplane may be reduced for thrust vectoring by flow control gates which partially block the flow of air from the fixed guide vane assembly. Rotation control vanes introduce a controlled swirl into the flow of air from the fixed guide vane assembly to effect rotation of the airplane. Actuators for flow control gates and rotation control vanes, and a flight control system, are provided.